Biography

        Nigel is a studio potter and native Floridian, born in the gulf-coast city of Bradenton. He received a BA in cultural anthropology from the University of West Florida in 1998 and studied ceramics as a post baccalaureate student at the University of Florida, finishing in 2002. Nigel has held artist in residence positions at The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the St. Petersburg Clay Company in St. Petersburg, Florida. He exhibits his work nationally in juried and invitational exhibitions, including at the 2005 and 2007 National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference.

Artist Statement           

           My work is inspired by the craft traditions of diverse cultures and those objects and vessels that relate to food and drink. Cultures dissimilar in ethnicity and customs will often share concepts of creative expression within the utilitarian crafts. I imagine a connection that encourages a reverence for the objects themselves and a familiar link that is cultivated between the user and that object. In possessing a commitment to function and utility, these vessels allow, with form and surface, a window of individual and cultural expression. A conscious artistry is visible in objects from salt-glazed butter churns and batter bowls to the beautiful stirrup-spouted vessels of the Moche and Nazca cultures of prehistoric Peru.

            In my work, I strive for a balanced beauty between shape and surface, line and space. Incised lines and embellishments relate to the handles and spouts, feet and lids. A variety of contrasting influences have inspired my carvings, including patterns and design qualities appropriated from pre-Colombian textiles and historic timber framed barns. Such aesthetic considerations compliment elements of the form, while conveying movement and gesture upon the vessel surface.

            Atmospheric firing creates a layered sense of depth. A spontaneous harmony develops between the clay body, vessel surface, fire, and atmosphere. This collaboration is the essence of the traditional, historic and pre-historic wares I find most engaging.